Stringed instrument.



W. L QU-EMORE.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATLON F1150 AUG.23,1916.

1,266,314. 1 Patented' May 14, 1918.

atto: vu,

WILLIAM JAMES QUEMORE, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented lvay 14, 1918.

Application filed August 23, 1916. Serial No. 116,545.

To all whom t may concern;

Beit known that I, WILLIAM J. QUEMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain useful Improvements in Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.v

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments, one object of the invention being the provision of means where by stringed instruments, such for instance, as a mandolin, guitar, banjo, and any combinations thereof, may be more easily played than by the usual linger fretting thereof.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a key controlled mechanism arranged according to the keys of the piano and operably connected to string fretting means whereby a piano player can readily play any of the above mentioned stringed instruments without difficulty, in that the fretting devices may be operated by the piano keys in a similar manner to the piano, the present invention requiring not less than an octave of full tones and the usual number of half tones to form one octave of a chromatic scale, it being possible, however, to increase this number according to the instruments used.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a mandolin equipped with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the neck thereof with the present attachment applied.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one element and its key in normal position.

Fig. 4 is a detail view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the key depressed.

Fig. 5 is a perspective fragmentary view showing in detail means for supporting the rod 17 to be hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, the details of construction of my invention are clearly disclosed. 10 designates the neck of the present instrument upon one edge of which are secured a series of hinges 23 hingedly connecting a series of finger actuated keys 14, some of which are, as is usually the case, longer than the others. These keys are hinged upon their inner ends upon the neck of the instrument. The arrangement of the keys 14 is such that they are positioned in a plane perpendicularly to the plane of the strings and parallel to the axis of the neck and at one side of the neck. Therefore when thekeys are pressed inwardly their outer ends swing in the direction of the neck to cause the frets to move inwardly and engage the strings. Any number of strings may be secured upon the instrument, four strings 11 being illustrated .in the drawings, having the usual frets 12. A series of hinges 13 are provided, each of which has one leaf secured to the under side of a key 14 and the other leaf bears upon a xed rod 17 suitably secured by means of the supporting arms 17 upon the neck of the instrument. A link 16 is pivot-ally secured at one end upon one leaf of each hinge 13 and is also pivotally connected at its opposite end to a slidable shank 19 to which is secured one of the frets 2O adapted to engage one of the strings of the instrument. It will be understood that each fret finger 20 can engage any desirable number of strings 11, two being shown in the illustrations.

and register with a series of openings formed in the neck for the reception of the slidable Shanks 19, the outer ends of the casings also having openings in which said shanks 19 slide. Springs 22 are coiled around the Shanks 19 and are mounted in the casings 21 bearing at one end upon the back portions of said casings and being secured at their inner ends directly upon the Shanks 19.

rllhe disposition of parts is such that when the springs 22 are not under compression the links 16, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, ineline forwardly and upwardly, and the point of pivotal connection between the hinges 13 and the links 16 will be on one side relatively to the fixed rod 17 while the hinged pintle will be arranged at the opposite side thereof. The outer hinged leaves 13 will be inclined and will engage the rod 17, thus supporting the key 14 in the correct horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3. It is apparent that by depressing any key 14 the inclined outer leaf 13 will be acted upon and, inasmuch as the pintle of the hinge 13 moves in an are in the direction of the casing 21, while this key is being still pressed upon, the hinged leaves tend to straighten out as shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the outer end of the hinge 13 moves upwardly, hence pulling upon the link 16 which, in turn, pulls the shank 19 against the stress exerted by the spring 22 so as to compress said A series of casings 21 are se` cured upon the neck 10 of the instrument spring. As the shank 19 moves inwardly the fret finger 20 is caused to engage theadi jacent strings l1. 7

Where so desired, two of the Shanks 19 may be actuated simultaneously by each key andl thus control two strings at a time, as

illustrated in Fig. 2'.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the present key mechanism may be applied to. any Off the abnve set forth instruments, andin addition, to, the guitar-banjo, the manlOlin-banio, lnandolgingtntar, and

,the balalaika.

It is apparent that with this mecha nisin, any one familiar with the keys of a piano may become proiieient with' any oney of the above instrtnnents when equippedy with, the present invention that I claim as new isbl. In a device of the kind described, in

combination, a neck provided with strings 1,2ee,s 14

bearing against the back portion of the casing, a rod fixedly secnred to said neck and spaced? fronisaid' casings, a hinge having one leaf secured to the under side of each key and a longer leaf bearing against said fixed rod, a link pivotally connected atoneend to each shank and at its opposite end pivotally. connected to the adjacent end of the longer leaf, each of said links inclining upwardly, the pivot Connecting each link t0 each hinge being arranged in one sidefrelatively to'the fixed rod While the hinge pintle isA arranged at the opposite side thereof, and a, fret linger. secured to the outer end 0i' each shank and located,

to engage` sonic offsaid strings.

In a device of the character described, in combination a neck having strings thereon, a series ofv casings mounted on said neck at right angles thereto, slidable Shanks in said casings, fret lingers securedr to, the ends of said Shanks and adapted 4to engage saidy Strings, springs seeured te1 said Shanks to hold said fret fingers normally spaced from said strings, series otkeys hinged on said neck, and ineans connecting said Shanks and; keys to canse said fret tingers tov engage saidstrings when said keys are depressed.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

IhreV cents each, by adldrsjstxig the Comininssionely 0i. atents,

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